We trust our people, our dear youth and their capabilities

The following is the full text of the speech delivered on June 4, 2018 by Ayatollah Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution, on the occasion of the 29th demise anniversary of Imam Khomeini (r.a.). The speech was delivered at Imam Khomeini's shrine.

In the Name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds, and peace and greetings be upon our Master Muhammad, and upon his pure household, especially the one remaining with Allah on earth

Allah the Omniscient said in His Sacred Book: "It is He Who sent down tranquility into the hearts of the believers, that they may add faith to their faith, for to Allah belong the forces of the heavens and the earth and Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom" [The Holy Quran, 48: 4].

The remembrance of great achievements, high peaks and spiritual flights of great individuals is a source of tranquility, assurance and self-confidence for the hearts of people. In the holy ayah which was recited, peace and tranquility in the hearts of Muslims is attributed to divine victory and assistance and it considers tranquility, assurance and heartfelt serenity as a source of increasing one's faith. The enemy is pursuing the opposite of this for the Islamic Ummah and for our pious, dynamic and vibrant society.

It is 30 years now that we have been speaking about our magnanimous Imam on a day like this. Imam is a high peak and from now on too, our people and our nation will keep speaking about him and he deserves this because he is the symbol of the Revolution, and our country will not manage to achieve its great goals and dreams without the powerful engine of the Revolution.

This year, the coincidence of Imam's demise anniversary with the martyrdom anniversary of the Commander of the Faithful calls to mind certain similarities between this sincere and true follower of the Commander of the Faithful and that lofty and magnificent leader. There are certain similarities between those two personalities which is a source of pride for the Iranian nation and the Islamic Ummah. Attention to these similarities is important and beneficial because we can find the correct path and become more familiar with our magnanimous Imam. I have prepared to discuss three criteria which are shared between those two personalities:

One criterion is that there were apparently two conflicting qualities in the Commander of the Faithful. One is steadfastness, resistance and strictness and another is delicacy, kindness and affection. These two qualities existed in the Commander of the Faithful to perfection. He was steadfast and strict in the face of every unfair movement: in the face of oppression, oppressors, deviation from the path of God, transgression and greed. The Commander of the Faithful would stand up against these things with complete steadfastness and power and his resistance against those qualities is unprecedented until today. He also acted in a completely sensitive and delicate manner when it came to divine remembrance and dhikr on the one hand and behavior towards the oppressed and underprivileged and weak classes of society on the other hand. However, the Commander of the Faithful (peace and greetings be upon him) was completely strict in the face of Muawiyah. He was advised to show patience and to avoid dismissing Muawiyah from the position of Shaam's [Levant] governor, but he did not accept this.

He was also very strict in the face of two old-time, respectable and honorable companions who had certain expectations of him because he thought that their demands were illegitimate. He did not give in to their expectations and he resisted with absolute steadfastness and endurance. He also stood up against the Khawarij who claimed to be staunch followers of Islam and who defied the Commander of the Faithful – that true yardstick of Islam. The Commander of the Faithful stood up against them with utter solidity and power.

On the one hand, we witness such steadfastness in that lofty and great Wali of God and on the other hand, we witness extreme delicacy and affection, in him, in the face of the weak and the underprivileged classes. This really astonishes one. The story of visiting the house of a woman whose husband was martyred and whose children had become orphans is a well-known story, one which you have certainly heard. He went to the oven and began to bake bread for the children and he entertained them as well. One becomes really surprised at all this kindness and affection.

Another example is the event during which the vicious troops of Shaam attacked the Iraqi province of Anbar. During that event, the Commander of the Faithful's governor was murdered, the people's houses were attacked, children were killed and women were threatened. After that, the Commander of the Faithful said, "If any Muslim dies of grief after all this, he is not to be blamed" [Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 27]. When a Muslim hears that foreigners have attacked the houses of defenseless people, taking away women's ornaments, if he dies of grief and regret, he is not to be blamed. Notice that the Commander of the Faithful exhibited such an astonishing and unique feeling in regards with defending the rights of the weak. These two conflicting qualities existed in the Commander of the Faithful.

These two qualities can be exactly seen in our late Imam as well. On the one hand, he displayed steadfastness, solidity and firm resistance against oppressors and against evil. He stood up against the deviant, taghuti and corrupt Pahlavi regime like a solid cliff. He stood up against the US like a mountain. He stood up - without any consideration - against threats, against transgressing Saddam during the imposed eight-year war, against domestic seditions and even against his old-time student and companion because he deemed his behavior illegitimate. This was Imam's steadfastness.

On the other hand, one can see the affection and delicacy of our magnanimous Imam. He once received a message from the mother of a martyr. I myself took that message, given by the mother of a martyr, to our magnanimous Imam. The eyes of that powerful man were filled with tears! He was deeply touched by that mother's message of respect and sacrifice. Another example is his defense of the weak and the bare-footed – the term was frequently used by our magnanimous Imam. This is an astonishing similarity between our magnanimous Imam and the Leader of the Pious.

The second criterion is that there was an astonishing phenomenon in the Commander of the Faithful. There were three apparently conflicting qualities in the Commander of the Faithful. He was strong and powerful, but at the same time he was oppressed and yet at the same time, he was eventually victorious in various events. These three qualities were visible in the Commander of the Faithful and in his disposition.

If we want to have a correct understanding about the power and strength of the Commander of the Faithful, we should look at the vast dominions of his government. The large territory which was under the management of the Commander of the Faithful extended as far as present-day Afghanistan, the Mediterranean Sea and Egypt. All this vast territory was governed by the Commander of the Faithful and he did so with complete power and solidity. His iron will, his courage, his military art, his eloquent tongue and his attractive logic – the Commander of the Faithful's words and his sermons full of enthusiasm and full of wisdom have provided instructive lessons for all humans until today – are signs of power. His strong arms, intellect, determination, management and language are signs of a strong and powerful individual.

At the same time, this strong person was oppressed. The signs of oppression against him can be witnessed in the behavior of his enemies and the jealous, in the unfair accusations that were leveled at him by the agents of his enemies during the time of his life, and in the materialistic behavior of some of his companions – a number of his companions and comrades separated from him because of pursuing materialistic desires. These are signs of oppression against that great personality. The pressures that were exerted on him from different sides were so enormous that this patient, ocean-hearted and tolerant individual is said to have complain to a well! He would speak to a well. This is a sign of oppression against the Commander of the Faithful. After his demise and martyrdom, his enemies – who had seized the government – would insult him for many years in their minbars. They would insult him throughout that vast country and they would speak ill of the Commander of the Faithful who was the embodiment of piety, justice and fair-mindedness.

At the same time, when we take a general look at all those events, we see that in that long battle, the Commander of the Faithful was the final winner. Today, notice where the Commander of the Faithful's name and personality stands in this vast human panorama and human history. He stands at the peak and there is no trace of his enemies. His Nahjul Balaghah is an instructive lesson for lofty individuals. His tradition is the most important and prominent tradition after that of the Holy Prophet of Islam. His justice and his great personality are outstanding in today's world. His cause has defeated that of his enemies and he was the final victor.

The same three characteristics existed in our late magnanimous Imam. Our magnanimous Imam was a strong and powerful person. He was a person who managed to oust a taghuti, dictatorial and monarchic regime after two thousand years in this large and great country. This requires great strength. This is a sign of our magnanimous Imam's power. He managed to defeat America which had defined strategic interests for itself in this region and he managed to force it into retreat. He managed to foil plots and frustrate those who had devised the imposed war. Those who had devised the imposed war pursued the goal of destroying the Revolution and uprooting the Islamic government. However, our magnanimous Imam turned this threat into an opportunity. These are the signs of the strength, power and authority of our magnanimous Imam.

At the same time, our magnanimous Imam was oppressed due to the extensive propaganda campaigns of the enemies against him. Offensive propaganda against him continued frequently in his lifetime and after his demise. Some people behaved in an unfair way towards him while this was not expected of them. This was a sign of oppression against our magnanimous Imam. The grief that he felt because of this can be seen in his powerful and solid statements and speeches. This shows that that great man suffered from deep grief. This is a sign of oppression against him.

And the final victory of our magnanimous Imam is the next point. He was powerful, oppressed and victorious. Just like the Commander of the Faithful, our magnanimous Imam achieved victory. His victory shows itself in the solidity of the Islamic government, in the survival of the Islamic Republic and in the growth, development and progress of the Islamic government. Many of his dreams came true after his demise. National self-belief and self-sufficiency, the scientific, technological and political progress of the country, and the expansion of influence that the country and the Islamic Republic achieved in the vast region of West Asia and North Africa are the dreams that have come true. This a victory for Imam's discourse, path and method. Many of these dreams have come true and many others will, by Allah's favor, come true in the future.

Our magnanimous Imam's Islamic Republic will achieve more growth and greatness on a daily basis and that is what has made the enemies nervous and angry. My dear ones, dear youth, great people of Iran, the moves that the enemy makes are a sign of his nervousness, agitation and anger, not a sign of his power. What the enemy does today against the Islamic Republic does not stem from power. His behavior shows that he is nervous, angry and agitated because of the Islamic Republic's greatness and progress and the Iranian nation's resistance. These moves originate from that.

The third criterion is about the identification of the Commander of the Faithful's enemies. This is instructive as well. Take a look at the front which rallied against the Commander of the Faithful. It is clear what this front is made up of: the qaasitin [oppressors], the naakithin [oath breakers] and the maareqin [heretics]. The qaasitin were the fundamental enemies of the Commander of the Faithful's government. The naakithin were the weak-willed and irresolute companions who broke their allegiance because of the trifles of the world and because of their materialistic desires and temptations. And the maareqin were the witless, imbecile and ignorant people who stood up against the living Quran – the Commander of the Faithful – thinking that they were following the Quran. This was the front which opposed the Commander of the Faithful.

The qaasitin, who were the fundamental enemies, were opposed to the essence of the Commander of the Faithful's government, but later on, history showed what replacement they had chosen for the government of the Commander of the Faithful: the likes of Ḥajjaj ibn Yusuf, Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad, and Yusuf ibn Umar al-Thaqafi were the individuals who had been chosen by the qaasitin – those fundamental enemies – to replace the justice-based government of Ali. Opportunists, materialists and the witless wanted the same thing, but they did this in different ways. Of course, witlessness was a specific quality of the maareqin hordes and their leaders most probably collaborated with the enemies. The same claim is being made in history about the Khawarij.

These three fronts confronted our magnanimous Imam as well. The front which confronted our late Imam was composed of these three groups. The US, the Zionist regime and their cohorts within the country formed the qaasitin against our magnanimous Imam. They were individuals who were opposed to the essence of the Islamic Republic's and the Islamic government's rule and they were against the authority of a person like our magnanimous Imam. They too were and still are looking for a replacement for this government. Their replacements are today's versions of Hajjaj ibn Yusuf and it is clear who they are.

In the front which opposed Imam, naakithin – the oath breakers – were formed of loose-belted companions. Woe upon those loose-belted companions who could not resist materialistic desires! They turned the arena of competition to do good into an arena of war for the sake of power and seizing the trifles of the world. There were all kinds of individuals among them. During the time of the Commander of the Faithful, the naakithin were comprised of the likes of Talha and Zubayr and some other small individuals. The same was true for Imam, but he stood up against this diverse and vast front.

The maareqin – the ignorant – were comprised of those people who did not understand the conditions and circumstances of the country and the people of Iran in the presence of our magnanimous Imam. They failed to identify the enemy's deployments and methods. They busied themselves with peripheral matters and they failed to understand the greatness of our Imam's movement. If we want to cite examples of this group, we can refer to the likes of DAESH and the like in our time and in the beginning of the Revolution, we can refer to the munafeqeen and other such groups whose treacherous leaders and their cohorts – the subordinate factions among them – were ignorant and deceived.

These three groups and the enmity that they showed was not particular to Imam. Such enmity has continued after Imam as well. Today too, these three groups have deployed their forces against the Islamic government and the great legacy of Imam – the Islamic Republic. However, the Islamic Republic's fighting, resistance and steadfastness has prevented their transgression. Of course, this joint front is doing its best to create obstacles and problems for the Islamic Republic. They are creating problems and they are slowing down the movement of the people of Iran, but they will not be able to prevent them from making progress.

We thank God for living in an era when we have managed to witness a great person who has had these similarities with the Leader of the Pious and the guide for all liberated individuals in history – the Commander of the Faithful – and who managed to leave behind the product of his greatness for the Iranian nation.

Well, now hearts and minds are prepared. How would Imam (may God bestow paradise on him) face this situation? What is Imam's model? I would like to discuss this very briefly as this is a lesson for us. I would like to mention a few characteristics of our magnanimous Imam's behavioral model:

First of all, Imam behaved in a courageous and active manner in the face of these enmities and these enemies. His behavior was not marked by weakness and passiveness. Imam never became passive, nor did he feel weak and exhibit weakness. He confronted the enemies in a powerful and active way.

The second characteristic is that Imam would avoid making hasty decisions out of excitement. He would not get carried away in the face of events and he would not rely on irrational feelings. His decisions were courageous decisions accompanied by firm feelings based on rational calculations.

The third characteristic is that Imam would pay attention to priorities. His focus was on priorities. For example, during the time of revolutionary activities, his priority was confronting the monarchic regime and he would not get involved in peripheral matters. During the time of the imposed war, his priority was the war. He said many times that the war and the sacred defense was at the top of all affairs. And this was the truth of the matter. He always focused on matters of high priority and he would not involve peripheral matters into his sphere of work. In the beginning of the Revolution – in the first days and weeks after the Revolution – one could surprisingly see that his focus was on the Constitution, the establishment of the government, the authority of the law and other such things. He always focused on the main point.

The fourth characteristic is that he trusted the capabilities of the people. He considered the people of Iran a great, well-informed and capable people. He would trust them and he was optimistic about them, particularly about the youth. Notice how optimistic he was, in his statements, about the people and youth.

The fifth characteristic is lack of trust in the enemy. Throughout his ten-year blessed presence at the top of the Islamic government, Imam did not trust the enemy even for one moment. He was pessimistic towards the enemy's suggestions. He was indifferent towards his pretentions. He considered the enemy as the enemy in the real sense of the word and he would not trust him in any way.

The sixth characteristic is his insistence on the solidarity and unity of the people. This was another characteristic of Imam's behavioral mode in the face of these enmities. Everything which would divide the people into two factions and poles was condemned in the eyes of Imam.

The seventh characteristic is faith and firm belief in divine assistance and divine promises. This is the main point. Imam would rely on divine assistance. He would do his best and he would stand in the arena with all his existence, but his hope was pinned on divine assistance and divine power. He truly believed in "one of two good things" – "Can you expect for us any fate other than one of two good things [martyrdom or victory]" [The Holy Quran, 9: 52]. He believed that if we do things for the sake of God, the gates of loss would be closed. If tasks are carried out for the sake of God, no loss, whatsoever, will come our way. We will either progress or carry out our duties even if we do not make any progress and this way, we can hold up our heads before God.

I will tell you dear brothers, dear sisters and great people of Iran, we have precisely followed the path of Imam even after his demise and by Allah's favor, we will continue to do so. We will not adopt a passive and weak position and by Allah's favor and grace, we will stand up against the greed and bullying of foreigners and enemies. We will not make decisions in a hasty and excited manner and we will not pay attention to peripheral – instead of fundamental – matters. We will not get involved in such matters and we will not busy ourselves with them. We will correctly identify our priorities by Allah's favor and guidance. Hopefully, we will trust our people and our dear youth and their capabilities. We will never place our trust in the enemy. We will prevent our dear people from duality and polarization and we are confident about divine assistance. We have no doubt that by Allah's favor and grace, the people of Iran will achieve victory with this motivation, with the feeling which is pushing them forward today, with this faith and with this hope.

And we are aware of the enemy's plan. We are completely aware of the enemy's plan and we will reveal it to the people. Of course, our dear people know, understand and feel many things. Today, the enemy's plan is comprised of these three elements: economic pressure, psychological pressure and practical pressure. The purpose of these three kinds of pressure is to dominate our dear country – Iran – as they have dominated some poor and ignominious countries in the region.

Economic pressure means imposing sanctions and preventing other countries from cooperating with us in economic areas. They are exerting such pressures. Pay careful attention that what they want to achieve from economic pressures and sanctions is not only pressuring the government and the Islamic Republic, rather they foolishly want to make the people of Iran exhausted. They say that they should exhaust the people of Iran so that the Islamic government would be forced to give in to their bullying. This is their goal. They neither know the people nor the Islamic Republic. This is economic pressure and they pursue this goal, but this goal will turn out to be a complete failure by Allah's favor and grace and with the efforts of officials and the people.

As for the psychological pressure, this is a very important and noteworthy point. They have targeted the Islamic Republic's strong points – those strong points which are a source of power and strength for the country and the people – introducing them, in their propaganda and encounters with others, as problematic and challenging points with the purpose of making the Iranian nation disappointed at them.

For example, one of these strong points is our nuclear progress. Nuclear progress has been a source of pride for the technology of the country. nuclear progress has been a source of pride for the technology and science of the country. It has revealed the talents of our youth and therefore, it is not a minor achievement. Perhaps, you remember the day when we were in need of 20-percent enriched uranium for medical purposes. Our 20-percent resources were about to run out and we had to get more. How were we supposed to do so? We had to get it from foreign countries – like the US, European countries and the like – but they created all sorts of obstacles ahead of us. They laid down all sorts of terms and conditions for us because they understood that we needed it. When a people vitally need something, they have no choice other than accepting the conditions and impositions of sellers. They wanted to seize the opportunity to lay down all kinds of terms and conditions for us.

The negotiations, talks and meetings lasted for months – perhaps for more than a year – but they would not retreat and they would repeat their demands and expectations. However, the Islamic Republic placed its trust in its youth and it asked them to develop the nuclear issue. Our youth began to work and they managed to produce the 20-percent enriched uranium inside the country, much to their surprise. They did so without having any model from the outside. This shocked them! The issue is like this. The power of our experts, scientists and youth to launch a scientific and technological movement – those scientists and youths are present in the country today as well - made the enemy angry and enraged. Well, this is a very great strong point for the country. It is a source of reputation and credit. In practice too, it helps the country to make progress.

Through their extensive propaganda efforts, they tried to make some people think that this achievement – which is a national strong point – is a problematic issue and a weak point. They said that the nuclear issue of the country is a source of tension and challenge, that it will make the enemy increase his pressures and therefore, it is of no avail. They want to turn this strong point into a problematic and challenging issue so that they can take it away from us. This is one of the things that they are doing. This is a psychological course of action, one which is deep-rooted and important. They want to make a people pessimistic about their great breakthroughs.

Another example is the issue of missiles. Building various missiles and missile power is a source of security in the country. Our youth do not remember the day when Tehran was burning under the fire of the enemy's round-the-clock missile strikes. The houses were collapsing and the people were being killed and this was happening in Tehran, let alone the cities which were involved in the war – Dezful, Ahwaz, Shush and other cities. The enemy's missiles would even reach distant cities, but we did not have any missiles and weapons to defend ourselves. We had to just wait and watch!

Today, our youth have managed to become the first missile power in the region! The enemy knows that if he launches one, he will receive ten [audience chant “Death to America, Death to Israel”]! So, missiles are a source of security and they are a strong point. Notice that the enemy has focused on the issue of missiles and unfortunately, some people inside the country are echoing his words, saying, "What is the use of missiles?"

Another strong point that we have is the issue of the Islamic Republic's pursuit of international justice. This is a source of credit for the Islamic Republic. If the Islamic Republic advocates oppressed nations, this is a source of reputation. If it supports the Palestinian nation, this is a source of credit. The Islamic Republic has strengthened the Resistance forces against the Zionist regime. They created some enemies, some disturbing and detrimental elements – namely DAESH, al-Nusra Front and the like – in Iraq and Syria, but the Islamic Republic supported the Resistance forces in the region. This is pursuit of justice. This is defending the Palestinian nation. This is defending the independence of regional countries. This is defending the territorial integrity of countries and therefore, this is a strong point. However, they are pretending that this strong point is an act of interference by the Islamic Republic. They are introducing it like this. This is our situation with the enemy today.

Their agents inside the country are unfortunately busy as well. One day, they chanted the slogan of "Neither Gaza nor Lebanon" on the streets of Tehran and on the occasion of Quds Day which is the day for defending Palestine. Those who help the enemy's psychological warfare inside the country are bad creatures. They are mean creatures. They are a source of embarrassment.

In the present time too, there are some people who are trying to impose a faulty form of the Bar-Jaam [the JCPOA] on the country. Foreign governments are after this and some people inside the country promote the idea that if this [the Bar-Jaam] does not work, there will be a war. No, this is a lie! This is promoting the interests of the enemy. It is clear what the enemy's goal is. The enemy is trying to make us abandon our strong points and give up our elements of national power so that he can more easily dominate our country, our people, our fate and our future. They have devised such a plot, but the people have stood up against them. This is psychological pressure.

As for the practical pressure, I would like to speak a little about this to our dear people throughout the country. Their practical pressure is exerted through causing commotion in the country. This is their definite plan, but they will fail miserably on this one for sure, as this has been the case until today! The enemy's plan is to take advantage of the people's demands. Some people in a city or an area of the country might have some demands. They gather somewhere, pursuing their demands. For example, they are laborers who pursue their labor demands, or some people in a city pursue their civil demands.

In such cases, the enemy plans to send his infiltrators – in fact, some thugs and malicious individuals who are of course very few in number – inside the country so that they can turn the people's peaceful gatherings into an anti-security and seditious movement with the purpose of staining the name of the country, the people and the Islamic Republic. The people throughout the country should pay attention to this. This is the enemy's plan and we are aware of it. They have devised schemes to that end. Of course I reckon, I firmly believe – that they are horribly wrong and our dear people will stand up against their schemes in a powerful, courageous and vigilant manner. I advise our dear people to keep preserving their vigilance, as they have done so until today.

The people's presence on the scene is very important. Quds Day is imminent. Friday is Quds Day and the world will see the people's presence on that day. By Allah's favor, despite the fact that the people are fasting and it is very hot – they will do so while they are fasting, just like all other Quds days – this Quds Day will be held in a stronger and more enthusiastic way than Quds days in previous years.

I mentioned the Bar-Jaam. I would like to raise a few points about it. One can infer from the statements of some European governments that they expect the people of Iran to both endure and wrestle with sanctions, and to give up their nuclear activities – which are a vital need for the future of the country – and to continue the restrictions that they have imposed on them.

I say to these governments that they should know that this strange dream of theirs will not come true! The people and government of Iran will not endure the sanctions and the nuclear restrictions and confinement. This will not happen.

The Atomic Energy Organization has the responsibility of immediately preparing the ground for developing 190,000 SWUs – for the moment within the framework of the Bar-Jaam. It should also prepare the ground, starting from tomorrow, for some other activities which has been ordered by the honorable President.

Now, I would like to say a few words to the Arab youth:

[Speaking in Arabic] I would like to address courageous Arab youth and say to them: today, your nations have pinned their hopes on you youth. You should prepare yourselves for a future in which your countries will be benefitting from the blessings of freedom, progress and independence. Submitting to the US, failing to adopt a decisive position in the face of the usurping Zionist regime, adopting hostile positions against brothers and flattering the enemies – all these actions have turned some Arab governments into an enemy for their nations. And you youth have the responsibility of eliminating this false equation.

I call on you dear ones to fill yourselves with hope, innovation and activeness and to cultivate your personalities. You should attach significance to the cultivation of your personalities. The future will belong to you if you embark on building it today. If you build the future, you will be the ones who will benefit from its blessings.

You should not be intimated by the dominance of the world of kufr and you should be confident about the promise of Allah the Omnipotent and the Magnificent. Allah the Pure and the Exalted says with complete clarity: "Or do they intend a plot? But those who defy Allah are themselves involved in a plot" [The Holy Quran, 52: 42].

Friday is Quds Day and defending the resistant, mujahid and self-sacrificing people of Palestine on that day is a big step on this path. I pray to Allah the Exalted for you, for your success and for your steadfastness on this enlightened path.

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